October 2006

1

Austria: In parliamentary elections, the Social Democratic Party wins 35.3% of the vote (68 of 183 seats), the Austrian People's Party 34.3% (66), the Greens 11% (21), the Freedom Party 11% (21), and the Alliance for the Future of Austria 4.1% (7). Turnout is 78.5%. Chancellor Wolfgang Schüssel and his cabinet resign on October 3. Alfred Gusenbauer is asked to form a new government on October 11.Bosnia and Herzegovina: In elections to the three-member presidency, Nebojsa Radmanovic of the Alliance of Independent Social Democrats (SNSD) wins the Serb seat with 53.3% of the vote against 24.2% for Mladen Bosic of the Serb Democratic Party (SDS); Zeljko Komsic of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) wins the Croat seat with 39.6% against 26.1% for Ivo Miro Jovic of the Croat Democratic Union (HDZ) and 18.2% for Bozo Ljubic of the Croat Democratic Union 1990 (HDZ 1990); and Haris Silajdzic of the Party for Bosnia and Herzegovina (SBiH) wins the Muslim seat with 62.8% against 27.5% for Sulejman Tihic of the Party of Democratic Action (SDA). In parliamentary elections, the SDA wins 9 of 42 seats, the SBiH 8, the SNSD 7, the SDP 5, the HDZ 3, and the SDS 3. In the election to the Federation parliament, the SDA wins 25.4% of the vote (28 of 98 seats), the SBiH 22.2% (24), the SDP 15.2% (17), the HDZ 7.6% (8), and the HDZ 1990 6.3% (7). In the Republika Srpska, the SNSD wins 43.3% of the vote (41 of 82 seats), the SDS 18.3% (17), and the Party of Democratic Progress 6.9% (8). Milan Jelic (SNSD) is elected president of the Republika Srpska with 48.9% of the vote, against 29.4% for incumbent Dragan Cavic (SDS). Turnout is 54.8%.Brazil: In presidential elections, incumbent Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of the Workers' Party (PT) wins 48.6% of the vote, Geraldo Alckmin of the Brazilian Social Democratic Party (PSDB) 41.6%, and Heloísa Helena of the Socialism and Freedom Party 6.8%; turnout is 83.2%. A runoff is held October 29, and Lula wins 60.8% against 39.2% for Alckmin; turnout is 81%. In the parliamentary elections on October 1, the Party of the Brazilian Democratic Movement (PMDB) wins 89 of 513 seats in the Chamber of Deputies, the PT 83, the PSDB 65, the Liberal Front Party (PFL) 65, the Progressive Party (PP) 42, the Brazilian Socialist Party (PSB) 27, the Democratic Labour Party (PDT) 24, the Liberal Party (PL) 23, the Brazilian Labour Party (PTB) 22, the Socialist People's Party (PPS) 21, the Green Party (PV) 13, the Communist Party of Brazil (PCdoB) 13, and the Christian Social Party (PSC) 9; in the Senate, the PFL wins 6 of 27 seats up for election, the PSDB 5, the PMDB 4, the PTB 3, and the PT 2, so that the new composition of the Senate is PFL 18 of 81 seats, PSDB 16, PMDB 15, PT 11. Results of gubernatorial elections (October 1, runoffs on October 29):

Thailand: Surayud Chulanont is sworn in as prime minister. His cabinet is approved by King Bhumibol Adulyadej on October 8 and sworn in on October 9. Nitya Pibulsongkram is foreign minister, Gen. Boonrod Somtat defense minister, Pridiyathorn Devakula finance minister, and Aree Wong-araya interior minister.

3

Graham

Canada: Shawn Graham is sworn in as premier of New Brunswick.Czech Republic: Prime Minister Mirek Topolánek's cabinet loses a confidence vote in parliament, with 96 votes in favour of the cabinet and 99 against. President Václav Klaus accepts the government's resignation on October 11.Nicaragua: Former foreign minister (1962-67) Alfonso Ortega Urbina dies.

5

Cyprus: Prime Minister Ferdi Sabit Soyer's new government in North Cyprus wins a confidence vote in parliament (28-2).Russia: President Vladimir Putin nominates incumbent Murtaza Rakhimov as president of Bashkortostan. He is confirmed by the State Assembly (Kurultay) of Bashkortostan on October 10 (119-0).São Tomé and Príncipe: José Cassandra takes office as president of the regional government of Príncipe.

Reinfeldt

Bildt

Odenberg

Borg

Sweden: Parliament approves Fredrik Reinfeldt as prime minister (175-169). He takes office on October 6 with his cabinet, including Carl Bildt as foreign minister, Mikael Odenberg as defense minister, and Anders Borg as finance minister.

7

Austria: Former Landeshauptmann of Kärnten (1965-74) Hans Sima dies.Latvia: In parliamentary elections, the People's Party wins 19.5% of the vote (23 of 100 seats), the Union of Greens and Farmers 16.7% (18), New Era 16.4% (18), Harmony Centre 14.4% (17), Latvia's First Party/Latvia's Way 8.6% (10), For Fatherland and Freedom 7% (8), and For Human Rights in a United Latvia 6% (6). Turnout is 62.2%.

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Estonia: Toomas Hendrik Ilves takes office as president.

Sikatana

Zambia: President Levy Mwanawasa names Rupiah Banda as vice president and a new cabinet with Mundia Sikatana as foreign minister, George Mpombo as defense minister, and Ronnie Shikapwasha as home affairs minister; Ng'andu Magande is retained as finance minister.

10

Canada: In parliamentary elections in Yukon, the Yukon Party wins 40.6% of the vote (10 of 18 seats), the Liberal Party 34.7% (5), and the New Democratic Party 23.6% (3). Turnout is 72.6%.Congo (Kinshasa): In a cabinet reshuffle, Gen. Denis Kalume Numbi is named interior minister. New governors are also appointed for the provinces of Kinshasa (Adm. Liwanga Mata Nyamunyobo), Bas-Congo (Jacques Mbadu), and Kasaï Occidental (Mutombo Bakafwa Nsenda). On October 15 Tharcisse Habarugira is named defense minister and Édouard Wenzi Wakoyula governor of Bandundu. On October 16 the new ministers and governors are sworn in.

13

Taiwan: The parliament fails to approve a recall motion against President Chen Shui-bian (116 votes for, 1 against, 13 invalid votes, and 85 members absent; 147 votes were required to adopt the motion).United Nations: The General Assembly elects (by acclamation) Ban Ki Moon, foreign minister of South Korea, as the next secretary-general. He is to take office Jan. 1, 2007.

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Ecuador: In presidential elections, Álvaro Noboa of the Institutional Renewal Party of National Action (PRIAN) wins 26.8% of the vote, Rafael Correa of the Alianza PAIS 22.8%, Gilmar Gutiérrez of the January 21 Patriotic Society Party (PSP) 17.4%, León Roldós Aguilera of the Democratic Left-Ethical Democratic Network (ID-RED) 14.8%, and Cynthia Viteri of the Social Christian Party (PSC) 9.6%. Turnout is 72.2%. A runoff is to be held on November 26. In the parliamentary elections, the PRIAN wins 27.7% of the vote (28 of 100 seats), the PSP 18.6% (23), the PSC 15.2% (13), the ID-RED 10.7% (13), and the Ecuadorian Roldosist Party 7.6% (6).Japan: Former governor of Shiga (1986-98) Minoru Inaba dies.Mexico: In gubernatorial elections in Tabasco, Andrés Granier Melo (Institutional Revolutionary Party) wins 52.7% of the vote, César Raúl Ojeda Zubieta (Coalition For the Good of All) 42.9%, and Juan Francisco Cáceres de la Fuente (National Action Party) 3.6%. Turnout is 63.1%.Tanzania: In a cabinet reshuffle, Joseph Mungai replaces John Chiligati as home affairs minister.

16

Nigeria: The governor of Ekiti, Ayo Fayose, is impeached (along with Deputy Governor Abiodun Olujimi) by the state House of Assembly, whose speaker, Friday Aderemi, becomes acting governor. On October 19 President Olusegun Obasanjo declares the impeachment unconstitutional, suspends all democratic institutions in the state for six months, and appoints Adetunji Olurin as administrator.Peru: Former president (2000-01) Valentín Paniagua dies.Poland: Andrzej Lepper is reappointed as deputy prime minister.Solomon Islands: Finance Minister Bartholomew Ulufa'alu resigns and is replaced by Gordon Darcy Lilo.

17

Ecuador: Economy and Finance Minister Armando Rodas resigns. On October 18 José Jouvín is sworn in as new minister.Tokelau: David Payton is appointed administrator.United States: Mary Peters is sworn in as transportation secretary.

18

Spain: Former president of the Xunta of Galicia (1979-82) José Quiroga Suárez dies.

19

Garba Jahumpa

The Gambia: President Yahya Jammeh appoints a reshuffled cabinet, with Maba Jobe to replace Lamin Kaba Bajo as foreign minister. On October 25 he rescinds Jobe's appointment and names Bala Garba Jahumpa to the post instead. The new cabinet is sworn in on October 27.Ukraine: Interior Minister Yuriy Lutsenko offers his resignation, but it is rejected by President Viktor Yushchenko.

20

Ecuador: Former foreign minister (1967-68) Julio Prado Vallejo dies.

22

Bulgaria: In presidential elections, incumbent Georgi Purvanov (independent) wins 64% of the vote, Volen Siderov (Attack) 21.5%, and Nedelcho Beronov (independent) 9.8%. Turnout is 42.5% and thus below the minimum 50% required to elect a president in the first round, so that, despite Purvanov's majority, a runoff has to take place on October 29. In this, Purvanov wins 75.9% of the vote and Siderov 24.1%, at a turnout of 41.2%.South Korea: Former foreign minister (1967-71), prime minister (1975-79), and president (1979-80) Choi Kyu Hah dies.Mexico: Former governor of Chihuahua (1985-86) Saúl González Herrera dies.

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Romania: Defense Minister Teodor Atanasiu resigns. Sorin Frunzaverde is named to replace him; he is sworn in on October 26.

27

Pakistan: Former president (1988-93) Ghulam Ishaq Khan dies.

28

Czech Republic: In elections to one-third of the Senate (27 of 81 seats), held on October 20-21 with runoffs on October 27-28, the Civic Democratic Party wins 14 seats, the Czech Social Democratic Party 6, and the Christian Democratic Union-People's Party 4.

29

Bangladesh: President Iajuddin Ahmed is sworn in as chief adviser (head of caretaker government to oversee elections). On October 31 he appoints 10 advisers to run the government ministries.Cayman Islands: Former leader of government business (1992-95) Thomas C. Jefferson dies.Congo (Kinshasa): In the presidential runoff election, Joseph Kabila wins 58% of the vote and Jean-Pierre Bemba 42%. Turnout is 65.4%.Nigeria: The sultan of Sokoto, Ibrahim Muhammadu Maccido, is killed in a plane crash.

30

Brown

Bermuda: Ewart Brown, who replaced Alex Scott as leader of the ruling Progressive Labour Party, is sworn in as premier. Paula Cox remains finance minister in Brown's cabinet.China: Xu Shousheng is appointed acting governor of Gansu.